Box Score

STEVENS POINT – The 24th-ranked UW-Stevens Point women's basketball team used a 17-0 run late in the first half and never looked back as it defeated UW-River Falls 81-46 tonight at Berg Gym.

The Pointers improve to 16-3 overall and 7-3 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). The Pointers are 10-0 at home and have beaten opponents by an average of 35 points per game at Berg Gym. The Falcons fall to 6-12 overall and remain winless in WIAC play with a record of 0-9.
The game was tight early as both teams traded the lead. The Falcons went on a 7-0 to take a six-point lead and extended that lead to eight with 12 minutes left in the first half. With the score 22-15 Falcons with 10:36 left in the half, the Pointers went on a 22-2 run, which included a 17-0 run to take a 37-24 lead. Stevens Point went into halftime up 38-26.

The Pointers forced 18 River Falls' turnovers in the half, which led to 20 points. The Pointers shot just 33 % in the first half, but made their way to the free throw 19 times, connecting on 13. The Falcons shot 42 % in the first half and were just 2-for-3 from the line.

Stevens Point kept the momentum going in the second half, scoring the first seven points to go up 45-26. Chelsea Kranz (Columbus/Columbus) (Sr.-Columbus) had five of the seven points. The Pointers added an 8-0 run later in the half as they gradually extended the lead. The Pointers biggest lead of the game was the final score as they cruised to an 81-46 victory.

The Pointers bench scored 26 points in the second half and had a 22-6 scoring advantage in the paint. Stevens Point forced 35 turnovers in the game, which matches a season-high. The Pointers shot 57 % from the field in the second half to finish at 44 % for the game. The Pointers went 21-for-30 from the free throw line. River Falls finished at 40 % from the field.

Chelsea Kranz (Columbus/Columbus) led the way for Stevens Point with 17 points and eight rebounds. Britta Petersen (Luck/Luck) (Fr.-Luck) matched a career-high for the second time in the last three games and the second time this season against the Falcons with 13 points off the bench. Jessi Sporle (Mineral Point/Mineral Point) (Jr.-Mineral Point) added 10 points and a team-high five assists. Sarah Schoeneck had a game-high 18 points for the Falcons.

The Pointers will be in action next Wednesday when they go up against UW-Stout in Menomonie. The tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Williams Fieldhouse.